I love all things pumpkin, and I’m not sorry about it. I also love just about every iteration of chili that is out there (see my Homemade Chili recipe and the long list of variations you can make). So it’s only fitting that I combined my two fall loves. Adding pumpkin is a super easy way to add a dose of nutrients to your pot of chili without changing that classic chili feel. The flavor and texture blend seamlessly into a pot of classic chili and even kind of makes it feel a tad lighter, so I’m totally into it!
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What Does Pumpkin Chili Taste Like?
Okay, if you’re looking at me with a side-eye over the idea of putting pumpkin into your chili, just hear me out. The flavor difference is subtle and won’t make your chili taste like pumpkin soup! It makes the chili a little more saucy and rich, without being overly heavy. The pumpkin adds a little earthiness and a super subtle sweetness, which is nice because I usually add a little bit of brown sugar to my chili, but I was able to skip that with the pumpkin. And since I like to load up my chili with a lot of spices (see my homemade chili seasoning), the flavor of the pumpkin is not super noticeable.
And I think this is a good time to mention that you don’t want to taste your chili until it has simmered on the stove a while. You might be tempted to give it a taste right after you add everything to the pot, but at that point, it does not taste good. The chili needs time to do its thing. The spices need to bloom, the flavors need to cook down and combine. Give it time, and then taste. Be patient!
Make it Vegetarian or Vegan
It’s super easy to make your pumpkin chili vegetarian or vegan. Just swap out the ground beef for an extra can of beans, cooked lentils, some crumbled tempeh, or your favorite ground beef substitute. Most of the flavor in this chili comes from the chili seasoning, tomatoes, and other vegetables, so you can safely substitute the beef without too much of an effect.
Use a Different Meat
You can also swap the ground beef out for a different kind of ground meat. Ground turkey is very popular for pumpkin chili because it has a lighter flavor to match the lighter flavor of the pumpkin, but I also think that some Mexican chorizo would be awesome. Those smoky spices would pair perfectly with the flavor of the pumpkin.
Is Pumpkin Chili Spicy?
The recipe, as written below, is only as spicy as the chili powder you use. Many grocery store chili powders tend to be quite mild, but some brands can be spicy. So, if you’re sensitive to heat, make sure you use a chili powder that is mild. I find that McCormick brand chili powder is pretty mild.
If you want to add more heat to your pumpkin chili, feel free to dice up a jalapeño and sautéing that with the onion and garlic in the beginning. You can also add some chipotle powder to the chili seasoning, or dice up a chipotle pepper in adobo sauce and stir that into the chili. There are a lot of options!
By the way, you should totally make some cornbread to go with your pumpkin chili. Try my classic homemade cornbread, jalapeño cheddar cornbread, or sweet potato cornbread!
Easy Pumpkin Chili
Servings 6 1.25 cups eachIngredients
Chili
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.28)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)
- 1 lb. ground beef ($5.35)
- 1 15oz. can kidney beans, drained ($0.59)
- 1 15oz. can black beans, drained ($0.55)
- 1 15oz. can petite diced tomatoes ($0.69)
- 1 15oz. can pumpkin purée ($1.05)
- 1/2 6oz. can tomato paste (5 Tbsp) ($0.25)
- 2 cups water ($0.00)
Chili Seasoning*
- 1 Tbsp chili powder ($0.30)
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika ($0.05)
- 1 tsp ground cumin ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder ($0.02)
- 1/2 tsp onion powder ($0.03)
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02)
- 1 tsp salt ($0.02)
Instructions
- Mince the garlic and dice the onion. Add the garlic, onion, and olive oil to a large pot. Sauté the onion and garlic over medium heat until the onions are tender (about 5 minutes).
- Add the ground beef and continue to cook until the beef is browned and cooked through.
- Add the kidney beans (drained), black beans (drained), diced tomatoes (with juices), puréed pumpkin, tomato paste, water, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and salt to the pot. Stir to combine.
- Place a lid on top of the pot and allow the chili to come up to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Allow the chili to simmer for 30 minutes.
- After simmering for 30 minutes, give the chili a taste and add salt if needed. Serve hot with your favorite toppings (sour cream, cheese, green onion, corn chips, etc.)
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make Pumpkin Chili – Step by Step Photos
Dice one yellow onion and mince two cloves of garlic. Add the onion and garlic to a large pot with 2 Tbsp olive oil and sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft (about 5 minutes).
Add one pound ground beef and continue to sauté until the beef is cooked through.
Add the remaining ingredients to the pot: 1 15oz. can black beans (drained), 1 15oz. can kidney beans (drained), 1 15oz. can petite diced tomatoes (with juices), 1 15oz. can pumpkin purée, ½ of a 6oz. can tomato paste, 2 cups water, ½ tsp smoked paprika, 1 Tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, 1 tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Stir until everything is well combined.
Place a lid on the pot and allow the chili to come up to a simmer. Let the chili simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. After simmering 30 minutes, give the chili a taste and add salt if needed (I did not add any extra).
Serve hot with your favorite toppings! I especially like something creamy on my bowl, whether that is cheese, avocado, or sour cream. :)
This recipe so good! My family loves it and I’ve already made it several times! I usually add a diced jalapeno with the onions and garlic, and I use chicken stock in place of water. It comes out excellent every time, and it’s even better then second day!
Thanks for a keeper! :)
Made this with pumpkins we grew. I used beef broth from bouillon and added a bit more salt too but it’s my spouse’s favorite chili recipe. The sweetness from the pumpkin is really nice and it’s a great way to make it almost creamy without any dairy.
This is a wonderful recipe and easy for beginner cooks! I really like to get that extra smoky flavor in all types of chili I make, so I made a few substitutions and additions to enhance the umami flavor. I added 1 tsp smoked sea salt, 1 tsp pumpkin spice blend, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, substituted the water for low sodium beef broth, 1 small diced fire roasted red bell pepper, 1 small diced fire roasted green bell pepper, 1 bay leaf, 1 small cinnamon stick for flavor (pull stick out right before serving). For the meat, I did use ground turkey. I also used a can of the fire roasted diced tomatoes, instead of the regular diced tomatoes. I cooked everything in the slow cooker for about 5 hours or so. It turned out great!
Very good! I added more beans and more tomatoes, but the pumpkin is a very nice addition!
I’m going to make this on Wed, what do you think about using pumpkin spice in this? Has anyone tried it or would it be overkill? Thank you!
I think it might make it taste too pumpkin pie-esque. If you want to test it out though, you could make the recipe as is and then take out a bowl and add just a pinch to that to see how you like it before adding it to the whole batch!
Thank you for your reply and suggestion!
I added a teaspoon of pumpkin spice and I think it enhanced the flavors overall.
The pumpkin gives it a nicer, almost creamy texture. Also makes it super filling with the extra fiber. I’ve made this recipe a few times now and it’s turned out great every time. Love how simple it is as well. And it’s another one off this site that you can easily make from memory and customize. Thanks yet again for another awesome recipe!
Recipe good but prices are laughable!
This was a huge hit in my house! Absolutely delicious!! Kid approved too, my 8 year old asked for it on leftover day!!
The only thing I did differently was pinto beans instead of black beans because I didn’t have any on hand. Otherwise it was exact and very flavorful!
This is absolutely phenomenal! I used chicken instead of turkey as I needed to use up my chicken. Added a bit more salt at the end & topped with sharp white goat cheese instead of cow’s cheese. I heard raves all night about this recipe and I agree! I had no idea it’s possible to find cheap recipes that are also scrumptious!
Made this with beef this time & it’s even better! Accidentally thought it called for turkey last time. Oooops.
Love this one! I’ve made it several times. The pumpkin adds such a nice mouthfeel.
This is delicious and have made on repeat. My son loves it as well and doesn’t suspect the can of pumpkin lol. I was wondering if bell peppers can be added for extra veggies and if so should it be sautéed with the onions or added at the simmer stage (don’t want them turning soggy). Thanks!
My vegan daughter made this as a hearty replacement for turkey at Thanksgiving. She substituted a can of chickpeas for the ground beef and the rest of the non vegan family members really liked it! I have made it twice myself…once vegan and once cooking the ground beef separately ( because the other family members always ask if there’s meat😊) having 1/2 vegan and 1/2 with meat. The recipe is sooo easy and a well stocked pantry has everything you need. Thanks for a great recipe🙏💕.
Found a single serving of this squirreled away in the freezer and am enjoying it for lunch – SUCH a good combination of flavors, hearty and nourishing in every way.
Haha, I love it when I find little gems like that in my freezer!
This is probably a stretch, but I’m wondering your thoughts on how this would turn out without the tomato. It would be perfect to make for my one year old’s birthday party, but my mom hates tomato…. Any good sub?
Unfortunately, since tomato is such a large part of the flavor profile, I wouldn’t be able to guess at this one without actually testing. :(
I was all set to make this when I realized my ground beef had gone bad. So I made the recipe as written (other than the beef) and added 1/4 bag (3-4oz) of cooked lentils at the end. Thanks for the recommendation for that substitution! It turned out super tasty and filling. On a whim I served it on top of a bit of rice to make it stretch even further. I’m really pleased with how it turned out, especially after seeing the beef and thinking dinner was ruined.
This is so good and easy! I was trying to replicate a chipotle pumpkin chili I’d had before so I changed this a little to get that flavor and consistency. I added about ½ a can of chipotle in adobo with the sauce and minced chipotle peppers. I also added a little flour with the spices that I stirred into the ground beef after it had browned to allow the spices to bloom, then stirred in the tomato paste to cook that a little before adding the beans, tomatoes, etc. Definitely glad I made this!
I can’t buy canned pumpkin purée in Poland. Is it just blended pumpkin, or was it roasted first? Because I’m thinking about making it myself, but not sure what it is.
It is cooked first, although I don’t know if they roast it, boil it, or steam it.
On replacing canned pumpkin puree if it isn’t available:
Roasted, otherwise there is too much moisture in it. From my experience, it is still more moist/less dense than the purée in cans so keep that in mind when adding other liquids.
Do not use oil or spices/salt if you are trying to replicate the basic canned purée from States.
Also, it is best to use the types of pumpkin or other winter squash intended for eating rather than the type grown primarily for decoration or livestock consumption. Some pumpkin varieties are very stringy and not dense enough to make a decent puree.
I liked the lightness that the pumpkin gave this chili. However, I should have stuck to my rule of thumb of doubling the spices for Budget Bytes recipes. It definitely needed more salt at the end, and could have used double the chili spices. It was fairly bland as written (and my chili powder was a fresh bottle).
When I first read this review after reading the others, I kinda thought it was rude how it was stated; however, I kept it in the back of my mind while making the chilli tonight. I have to say, I’m very thankful you wrote those comments bc I felt like I needed to double the spices, too. I REALLY enjoyed this chili recipe…with the extra spices.
Second recipe I’ve made from this site and it’s so good! I did add andouille sausage but otherwise followed exactly. Delicious’
Love this chili. I make it every few weeks this time of year.
Thank you
Delicious. I also add mushroom and corn.
This is my go-to chili recipe. I use ground turkey instead of ground beef, but otherwise make as described. Easy and tasty with a very subtle yet delightful pumpkin flavor!
Outstanding! Thank you so very much for this!
Just made this. It was so quick and easy but delivers on flavor.
Great taste and easy to make
Made it in my instantpot since I didn’t have a big enough pot (15 minutes on chili/bean setting, 10 minute natural release then quick release). Also added some carrots since I needed to get rid of them and added 3 cups of broth instead of 2cups water since I was in the mood for more of a soup. it turned out great!! Can’t really taste the pumpkin but it definitely tastes a tad more earthy which I love. Husband doesn’t like pumpkin taste but it’s really beneficial for his tummy problems he has lol. So this is perfect! I love salt so I added a bit more too.
Yes I made some modifications but it’s close enough to the base recipe for it to be a 10/10. Will be adding this to my cozy time recipes.
Love this chili recipe! The pumpkin flavor is perfect for Fall. I serve with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and green onions.
Just made this for lunch & it was amazing!!! Instead of ground beef, I used Field Roast spicy chorizo & it added sooooo much flavor
This is a lovely recipe with loads of nutritions, and it’s very easy to make. I only made it twice, but I’ve already gotten all the groceries to make it again. It’s cheap, but very filling. I like it with both ground chicken and ground beef, both honestly taste great.
Yum! I honestly couldn’t taste the pumpkin, which is fine, and an added nutrient boost. Classic chili, super tasty with a cold breeze coming in the dining room. Sour cream, green onion, and cheddar cheese were our choices of goodies. Would add Fritos for salt and texture next time.
This chili was wonderful. I used ground turkey instead of beef. Next time I will add a minced jalapeño for some heat.
This was delicious. Perfect for a rainy day. I used ground turkey and added some diced bell peppers with the onion. Kept everything else the same. My son was excited that I finally made a real dinner. I had been phoning it in while my husband was deployed for work. It was easy enough for a lazy cook and perfect for a hungry preteen.
This came out delicious even without any meat. Perfect over rice and super easy to make. Thanks for this yummy recipe!
Yum! I used TVP (texturized vegetable protein) instead of ground beef because I’m vegetarian. I rehydrated the TVP with Better than Bouillon, and I felt like it had a nice flavor in the chili. 😋
Delicious. The pumpkin gives the chili a creaminess which means you don’t need sour cream. I also added a small can of diced green chilis I had lying around. Also a dash of cayenne.
Chili is one of those recipes that’s even better as left overs, so I’m really looking forward to trying this tomorrow.
Amazing! The only differences I made were substituting ground turkey (dark meat) for ground beef, and adding a can of diced jalapeños and a 1/4 tsp of cinnamon. It turned out more delicious than I thought it would. I will makes this again and again and again. Thank you, Beth!!
It’s a winner! This recipe is so simple and always turns out delicious. For my books, it’s the perfect chili – cozy, flavorful, filling… Making a big pot for my family on Christmas Day!! 😋
Came out great! Would make again, but would take the suggestion to add jalapeño for more heat :) Great with cornbread or even over rice. Thanks!
This was great for dinner! Subbed plant based meat and pumpkin puree that I cooked. Finished it off with shredded cheese and Fritos!
This was great for dinner! Added plant based meat and pumpkin puree that I cooked. Finished it off with shredded cheese and Fritos!
This turned out really well! I used the baked flesh of two pie pumpkins instead of canned and used frozen-then-thawed tofu for the “meat” substitute. I also switched up the spices a bit to include cocoa powder and cayenne pepper, and it was pretty satisfying.
I made this for my mom tonight and she said it’s one of the best chilis she’s ever had! I subbed the meat for an extra can of black beans to keep it vegan.
Really good! I only made 2 changes to the recipe. I used some hot chorizo instead of ground beef, and I added 1/2 cup to 1 cup of V8 because I prefer my chili a bit more stew like in viscosity. All in all I will 100 percent be making this again.
The spice level was pretty good for me, a bit of a creeping heat that lingered, and the pumpkin was still there despite it being a mild flavour.
Loved it! Used one can of garbanzos and one can of black beans and rotisserie chicken for the protein. This was a real hit and the leftovers made great lunches!
Where do you shop? My ingredients cost so much more.
We shop in Nashville, TN. Usually at Kroger. XOXO -Monti
Recipe is excellent! The flavors are perfect. I added roasted poblanos and bell peppers that I wanted to use up. Will definitely make again!
Excellent Chili! I used Yves ground round to make it vegan, there is enough other things going on you’d never notice. Also only used 1 cup of water as I prefer it a bit thicker. Otherwise, a really nice chili. The entire family ate it up.
This rocks. I added 2 tbsps of brown sugar an 1 tsp of maple syrup. The rest is history. Sexy pumpkin chili-what can I say? Hits all the flavor profiles.
I forgot. I replaced the water with unsalted bone broth. Duh.
This is a keeper! I added some ground sausage and a little more chili powder and will definitely make this again!
Honestly a new faveourite in my house. Even my toddler liked it and she doesn’t eat anything lol! Only change I made is I added 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. 10 out of 10!
Perhaps my favorite chili? I used sausage in place of the beans because I have a bean hater in the house. Do you think sweet potato puree here would work the same as pumpkin puree?
Yep, you can definitely do sweet potato purée instead. :)
Thanks Beth, you’re the best 😀
The flavour would naturally change slightly, but otherwise I think it’s a great substitute.
This is such a creative way of using pumpkin for a winter dish that’s super healthy. Have you tried it with diced pumpkin instead of the puree may help it from becoming saucy?
I added chopped sweet potato to my chilli, mainly to use them up as my bag was iffy and I loved it. FYI I replaced the beans with 2 medium sweet potatoes and 1 green bell pepper, and the mince with leftover shredded chicken
So yummy!! Easy to make as well. The serving size of 1.5 cups Is a bit big for me, so I’m going to try 1 cup and 1.25 cups to see which size works best for me. Will definitely make again.
I will be making this for the second time. I love especially for this time of the year!!
Delicious! I made mine vegetarian and added an extra can of beans. I also added a tablespoon of lime juice to punch up the flavour a bit. We topped it with cheddar cheese ate it with tortilla chips.
Really delicious. Substituted with ground turkey and cayenne instead of paprika. Quick and easy to make.
I’ve made this a couple of times now and it is a big hit especially with my little one! Delicious and easy. Love it!
I can’t wait to try this recipe. If substituting crushed tomatoes for diced tomatoes, would the amount be the same? Thanks.
I would probably do the same amount, yes. :)
So good! I had to make a couple of substitutions to use what I had and threw it in the crockpot for 4 hours. Instead of tomato paste, I added another can or diced tomatoes. I didn’t drain the the beans either and didn’t add the water.
Another winner! Great blend of flavors and spices. Didn’t have kidney beans, so used black and white beans. Sautéed the onions and meat in the Instant Pot, added the rest of the ingredients then cooked on high pressure for 15 mins. Love this easy recipe.
I’ll be saving this one. It was a hit with my otherwise picky kids. I paired it with the normal cornbread recipe attached but added white cheddar and parsley into the cornbread before baking, and did them as cornbread muffins instead. Just wow.
Great chili! I needed a quick chili recipe & stumbled across this one – I liked it right away because I always love adding pumpkin to chili. I swapped out the beef for a couple cans of beans (black & kidney), swapped the diced tomatoes for crushed (so my littles would eat it), and forgot to add any oil. I sautéed the onions in my instant pot, then added the other ingredients, and left it ‘cook’/flavor-meld on the keep-warm setting for a few hours (2-3?).. my husband and 5 year old both say it’s really really good. Thanks!
So easy and tasty! And I feel like more healthy than usual chili because of the pumpkin.
I made this Sunday and everyone loved it. It really is super-creamy and hearty and had a nice color, and you really can’t taste the pumpkin. I used Incogmeat-o as the ground (fake) beef and it was very tasty — that particular ground substitute has a particularly smoky flavor already but overall it wasn’t too smoky, just yummy. Thanks for the great and easy veg or veg-modifiable recipes.
I made this the other night and I am obsessed with it! I subbed a can of cooked lentils for the beef and topped the chili with green onion, sour cream, and tortilla strips and it was perfect! I will definitely be making this again!
Oh my gosh, this is so good! I have my signature chili recipe that I thought was the bomb and would never change … then I saw this recipe using pumpkin, hmmm. I followed this recipe to the letter – the only way to truly test – and OMG! It’s fabulous. I made cornbread as an accompaniment. Thank you for this recipe inspiration. Who knew pumpkin would elevate chili this way 👍🏻
this AMAZING! made this tonight and by the time it’s ready you really can’t tell there’s pumpkin in it! it’s suuuper thick, which i love in a chili, it’s easy, and it’s great comfort food. plus pumpkin is so so good for you and the ultimate veggie sneak. for sure going into my regular rotation!
Fabulous! My family loved it. Used turkey sausage instead of gr. beef. Kids added toppings like sour cream, cheese and frito corn chips. What a hit!!
This looks amazing! Does it freeze well?
Yes :)
This recipe looks amazing! How do you think ground pork would work as a meat?
That would probably work.
I have this in the slow cooker right now for dinner tonight. Planning to serve it with Fritos and all the topping options😊 I’ll report back with how it turns out and our rating.
Just made this and its delicious! Wasn’t sure about the pumpkin but you couldn’t even taste it. Just gave it a creamy texture. Delicious with avocado, onion & sour cream scooped up in tortilla chips.
Thank you for the inspiration! I’m excited to try this variation and will sub out the meat for lentils. I’m excited to see if the pumpkin mellows the tomatoes as one of the other commenter wrote.
Please keep up your writing and recipe ideas. I’ve enjoyed reading them, almost like a friend on the phone sharing me a recipe and a story!
totally mellows out the tomato :)
Would this work well as a slow cooker meal? (Simmer low and slow.) I’m thinking about making this for my parents and transport would be easier in a crock pot.
Oops, I see this was already asked! Never mind!
Really delicious recipe. I made it from scratch with a small roasted sugar pumpkin and dried beans soaked overnight and cooked for 10 min in the instant pot. I like using local fresh ingredients as much as possible and this recipe was timed perfectly for what is locally available for me. Thank you! I would have never thought of putting pumpkin in a chili recipe but this is now my favorite way to make chili.
Made tonight – almost as is: I would have bet money I had black beans but did not, so used garbanzo beans in its place. Also didn’t quite have a full onion so I added a tad of purple onion.
Otherwise, as is, and people! This is delish!:)
Warning: when simmering it will spurt and bubble out of the pot. You will want to cover quickly!
Tried this out and loved it! I made it with chorizo as per one of the suggestions, and added about 2 tbsp of dark brown sugar at the end. The pumpkin mellows out the acidity of the tomatoes really nicely. :)
This looks delicious! Just wanted to comment that I love your recipes, but I am missing your meal prep recipes – some of those posts were my favorite! I know something like this can be meal prepped, but I really enjoyed the meal prep/lunch specific posts and wanted to ask for them back (if I don’t ask…;))
Thanks!
Sure! I plan to do more, sometimes I just have to wait for the ideas or inspiration to hit. :) They come in waves sometimes… :P
What do with think about using the diced sweet potatoes from the original recipe with this one?
I think it would be great!
Diced butternut squash would also be fantastic.
Ooo I’m pumped you posted this version, I love your original chili but I got a little burnt out of making it and I’ve been feeling the craving for it again but a vegetarian version, and this sounds like a delicious, filling option! Will definitely be adding an extra can of beans to replace the meat (pinto! yum.)
Do you think you could make this in a slow cooker?
Probably! Just brown the meat first. :)
Not sure what this means – “Ground turkey is very popular for pumpkin turkey”?
Maybe she means pumpkin chili. Just a typo
It’s just a typing error. Intended phrase would almost certainly be “Ground turkey is very popular for pumpkin chili.”
Hahah yep, thanks for catching that!
I’m sure she meant “ground turkey is very popular for pumpkin CHILI” but just got a little excited about it, lol
Hahaha, indeed. What a funny typo! 🤪
Just a bad typo, as everyone else has already explained. 🤪